


The Morning Always Comes

by TranslucentAirlines



Category: Ace Combat
Genre: Dogfight - Freeform, Family Bonding, Family Dynamics, Family Feels, Fictional World, Fictional aircraft, Massive aircraft, Pack Family, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-03
Updated: 2017-10-03
Packaged: 2019-01-08 15:59:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12257577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TranslucentAirlines/pseuds/TranslucentAirlines
Summary: It wasn't supposed to be like this.It was supposed to be a beautiful, peaceful day in Gracemeria.When Melissa's daughter left on a field trip with her class, Melissa had looked after the school bus until it disappeared. She had seen it one more time as it crossed tbe massive, six-lane-wide Kings Bridge.She was not expecting to have a couple figjter jets destroy the bridge, in exactly the same place that Matilda's bus had just been.As she began seeing fiery explosions rip the morning sky apart, she knew her life was going to change forever.





	The Morning Always Comes

**Author's Note:**

> This short story is written in 3rd-person, present-tense style, and details four key battles of the Anea Continental War.  
> \- First battle, seizer of Gracemeria.  
> \- Second battle, Aigaion interception.  
> \- Third battle, Gracemeria liberation.  
> \- Final battle, Chandelier railgun destruction.  
> Let's go dance with some angels.

**Sunday August 30, 2015**

**744am ADT (Anea Daylight Time)**

"This would be why you should get up a liitle earlier!"

"I know Moooomm!"

A 9-year-old girl is running through her house, looking for a plastic bag she can put her lunch in.

"I don't think the Golden King's gonna be too happy if you show up laaaate!" says the girl's mother.

In the kitchen, the girl crouches down to level her with the cabinet on the bottom row. She opens up the cabinet and grabs a bag, squealing in delight. " _FOUND OOOONNE!_ "

"Okay Matilda, let's go so you can catch your bus!" says the mother.

"Uh-oh," Matilda says abruptly, peering intently at the PBJ sandwich in her lunch bag. A strange, black anomaly in the bag has distracted her.

"What? What happened?"

"Oh nothing. I thought it was mold but it's part of the bag."

Outside, a school bus eases in close to the driveway and taps the horn twice.

Matilda bolts out the front door with her lunch bag in hand, her mother tailing her. Just before Matilda boatds the bus she turns around and hugs her mother tightly. "I love you Mommy."

"I love you too little angel."

"Hey Mommy? You should go dance with some angels today."

The mother smiles and steps backwards away from the bus. "Yeah. Maybe we're gonna tango today instead of waltz. Oh and, give the Golden King my best."

Matilda waves. The bus closes its doors and departs.

* * *

Gracemeria is the capital of the Republic of Emmeria. More than 2-million peple live here in a beautiful coastal bay. The Kings Bridge, the heart and soul of the city, is nearly two miles long, consisting of two huge red suspension bridges connected to each other. The bridge carries ten lanes of Interstate 8, the nation's largest and busiest highway.

On the west end of the bridge stands an ancient castle. Known as one of the Eight Wonders of the World, it houses an immense statue - the beloved Golden King.

In the 14th century, this King ruled the land known now as Emmeria. He was one of the most loved Kings in the history of the world. He possessed a smile that could light up the night, convincing even his fiercest enemies to surrender without so much as an order of attack.

His legacy stands forever now in the form of a giant golden replica of him.

Priceless antiquities line the corridors of the Gracemeria Castle. They are testaments to the power of unconditional love of the freedom that comes from ruling not with an iron fist, but with a smile.

* * *

 

**826am ADT**

On the Kings Bridge, a traffic jam has taken place. All five westbound lanes are barely moving.

The driver of a delivery truck for Usea Today shakes his head in disbelief, glancing at his watch and then at the GPS.

A soft, high-pitched tone sounds, alerting the driver to his radio.

<Carson, where you at, buddy?>

"Sssstill trapped on the damn bridge."

<That's not goo-ood,> says Carson's boss. <Didn't I tell you to take the Jaris Bridge?>

"Yeah, except, apparently that bridge is closed down on the westbound side. Got an update on the radio like 30 minutes ago. Heavy police activity in the area."

<Really? That's weird. They say why?>

"I guess a tank belonging to the Estovakian Army got on the bridge and shut it down by force."

After a few seconds of radio silence, Carson's boss speaks.

"Tha Estovakians?"

The last thing Carson ever hears is a loud whooshing sound, and then an explosion, directly behind his car.

* * *

  **828am ADT**

Melissa Herman is exhausted. She has a huge headache.

Looking over at her water, she sits up on the couch and reaches for it to take a drink.

The ice-cold glass feels good in her hand. She lifts it up to her lips. As soon as her lips touch the glass, the house vibrates, and she hears a faint, distant boom.

Her eyes narrows as she proceeds to take a drink from the glass. After hearing and feeling a second, closer boom, she sets her glass down on the table next to the lamp and then walks to the screen door.

She can hear the sounds of fighter jets. She looks around to the outside to try to see them, but to no avail.

Curiosity has gotten the best of her, and she opens the door to step outside. She walks slowly.


End file.
